Greetings!

Thank you for taking the time to explore the Expanded Learning and Community Engagement department inaugural newsletter! I would like to begin by sharing a little bit about our team.

Who we are: A diverse team of educators.

What we do: We leverage resources to help build creative learning environments that foster meaningful learning experiences.

Why we do it: We believe in the power of service, being champions, and in the importance of offering care and support to those we have the privilege of connecting with.

Last March our world shifted and the traditional way of serving students and families changed abruptly. Our department quickly realized that our ability to adapt to new environments, practice new tools, and remain open to the unknown, created the opportunity for our learning to expand in multiple ways.

Drawing inspiration from our out-of-school programs, our team looked at the challenges and asked, "How can change lead to greatness?" This strengths-based approach allowed us to be innovative, creative, re-energized, and ultimately helped us re-engage with our work in refreshing ways. We also quickly realized that we were not alone in this transformative phase! This journey of unimaginable growth has been filled with ups and downs, wins and setbacks, celebrations and frustrations. The last year has required alternative delivery methods for our work, but it more importantly required alternative ways of thinking. It is in this “what if” or liminal space that we are open to expanding possibilities.

We would love to hear what you have created and what you have reimagined!

Warmly,

There are some amazing things happening outside our traditional classrooms. Below are a few ideas that may inspire your work.

Pamela Reichert-Montiel, educational services director for the South Bay Union School District, works with the Boys & Girls Club of South County to integrate an evaluation component to each activity offered in their ASES after school program. Feedback is collected from students and families to gain a better understanding of their learning as well as engagement of the material presented. This analysis allows district and community partners to assess their services in real time and prompt required changes. Over 1,000 parents and students have provided feedback!

Epiphany Charter’s Bruce Jackson didn’t let COVID stop him from making a difference for the girls at his site. He organized his school’s first Women in Tech panel event via livestream to promote diversity in STEM fields. Students learned about career options in gaming, video productions, and marketing. The guest speakers were introduced by one of the school’s students — a great way to provide a leadership opportunity to a young person!

The School Climate Transformation Grant (SCTG) is a five-year federally funded ($3.75 million) program that assists 11 small districts in San Diego County with elevating positive school climate measures to impact student engagement. As the lead for this project, the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) is providing coaching, support, and training focused on multi-tiered systems of support as well as positive behavior interventions. This project was funded via a competitive grant process and was the only program that focused on the unique needs of small districts.

A positive school climate sets the tone for every aspect of the learning experience and is predictive of students’ ability to learn and develop in healthy ways. Additionally, a positive school climate directly impacts important indicators of success such as improved attendance and engagement, decreased incidences of violence, and higher student achievement – all of which are expected outcomes of the five-year SCTG grant.

“When building a positive school climate, it is important to shift the sole responsibility from those who traditionally provide behavioral support for students, such as the school counselor, psychologist, or social worker to the system itself. An equity-centered multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) is an efficient process that facilitates the organization and integration of evidenced-based and promising practices ensuring students get what they need when they need it. We are very fortunate that the SCTG funds provide resources and staff dedicated to working alongside the small districts in building a sustainable system of support.”

— Felicia Singleton, Director

System of Supports, Student Services and Programs

To learn more about this project, please contact:

The Learning is Expanding Lab (LEXL), powered by SDCOE, is the first integrated community laboratory focusing on the future of human learning post-COVID. It is the first lab of its kind to be housed within a county office of education, in partnership with an institution of higher education, to re-imagine learning applications, policy, and structures.

"The LEXL is the portal for a new way of thinking about learning that serves as the foundry for new ideas, creative thinking, and collaborative dynamic systems that will help us engage science and research in meaningful and purposeful ways to support human potential," said Lisa Johnson Davis, coordinator, Expanded Learning and Community Engagement.

A few projects on the horizon include an integrated expanded learning curriculum, student snapshot survey, reimagining learning series with UC San Diego, and more! Interested in learning more? Please contact Lisa Johnson Davis at lisa.davis@sdcoe.net.

Listen to the first season of the 2 Counselors and a Mic podcast available on SoundCloud! 2 Counselors and a Mic is a podcast dedicated to exploring the ever-changing topics related to education. By listening to and learning from each other’s diverse experiences, we can harness the power of our collective stories to make change in the world. Through these stories, we can expand our understanding of who we are and how we learn.

Through a partnership with UC San Diego Extension, a companion guide has been developed for the podcast. This guide provides a pathway to dive deeper into the various themes and topics that emerge during each episode. The guide is meant to push our thinking on how our experiences and understandings of the world interconnect with those of others. Interested in using the podcast as a tool for professional learning with your colleagues? Please connect with Gabriela B. Delgado at gbaeza@sdcoe.net for next steps.

Women’s History Month: The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in commemorating and encouraging the study, observance, and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. Check out exhibits, videos, and more.

Library NExT (Network of Education x Training) is a series of workshops for elementary, middle, and high school students on topics including robotics, circuits, Quest for Space: Heat Experiments on the ISS, and more than 64 other STEAM subjects.

Do Your Homework @ the Library program: San Diego Public Library is offering free live virtual homework assistance to K-8 students in English and Spanish.

The San Diego System of Support for Expanded Learning STEAM Hub videos and materials help inspire staff to lead innovative and authentic learning that ignites students’ imagination.

ART=OPPORTUNITY is a research-based movement that provides leadership training, literacy residencies, summits, workshops, arts integration bootcamps, and special events for educators, parents, youth and teens, and arts providers. Free resources and downloads are available to help you promote and integrate the arts into various education settings.

Writing Successful Grant Proposals: This resource can help you get started with tackling a grant application that can enhance your services to students, parents, and staff.

List of Funding Opportunities: This list, curated by SDCOE’s Grants team, contains updated information on various funding opportunities.

Grant funding alert: First Book Marketplace provides free and inexpensive children’s books and educational resources to schools and programs that serve children in need. Eligible participants include schools and early childhood programs, provided at least 70% of the children served are from low-income families. To participate, registration must be completed with First Book.

Whether you are in person or virtual, here are a few things that can increase participation and strengthen connections with colleagues and students.

Sharing is caring! Feel free to email Jessica.Landress@sdcoe.net to share your favorite tip. We just might feature it in our next issue.

Our Expanded Learning Grant and Fiscal team is responsible for the oversight of close to $43 million that support the 232 programs in San Diego’s Expanded Learning Consortium. The System of Support for Expanded Learning supports the three expanded learning grantees in our county (SDCOE, San Diego Unified, and Integrity Charter). Lastly, the Community Engagement team supports SDCOE with the development of grant proposals as well as innovative projects that leverage community resources and partnerships.

If you have any questions or comments about Expanding Possibilities please contact Gabriela B. Delgado.